The Scottish government has begun a 14-week public consultation, running from 2 September to 9 December, on the question of legalizing marriage for gay couples, encouraging individuals and groups such as religious organizations to take part.

The government has said it would like to hear from religious groups and ordinary people, and has indicated religious organizations will have freedom of choice in deciding whether to officiate at gay weddings.

The Twin Cities Pride Festival cannot prevent an evangelical Christian from passing out Bibles and discussing his views against homosexuality at this weekend’s event, a federal judge ruled Friday.

Twin Cities Pride argued that its rights should take precedence because it’s paying $36,000 to lease Loring Park on the edge of downtown Minneapolis for the two-day event. The group also said Johnson contradicts the festival’s “message of celebration and pride in being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.”

But the judge ruled that the 42-acre park is a public forum, so Johnson’s free-speech rights must be honored. Tunheim said Johnson is entitled to go ahead with his plans as long as he remains undisruptive.

Organizers of a gay pride festival in Minnesota have asked for a court order barring evangelist Brian Johnson from distributing Christian literature construed as anti-gay.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board refused to bar Johnson from handing out materials at the festival, saying it was his right under the First Amendment. Pride organizers say they barred Johnson from last year’s festival because in previous years he misled attendees and tried to entice them to repent for the “sin of homosexuality.”

In many religious circles, the repeal of the military’s ban on openly gay members is considered practically a done deal. But Southern Baptists, who have many more active-duty military chaplains than any other denomination, are not giving up without a fight. See also Get Religion‘s take on the story.

In today’s RNB Roundup: Geert Wilders and more religion-motivated political correctness in England  What happened between a Mormon film maker and a lesbian priest  Church on fire (but not the right kind)  Religious Broadcasters (including the give-me-money-so-God-will-give-you-money-to-give-to-me scammers) tightening their belts  Church’s faith healing advertisement branded ‘irresponsible’  The never-ending attempt to reconcile science and religion, and why it is doomed to fail.  A source guide to the Bahá’í Faith